Velare
by RyukoVulpix
Summary: Altoshipping. It’s Satoshi and Latias’s wedding day! But as various events unfold over the course of the day, this proves to be much more than an average ceremony.


**Velare**

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Silently, the young woman stood before her mirror, turning this way and that, making some last-minute adjustments to her long, white dress. As she glanced at her reflection, a small smile came to her lips as pure joy bubbled up inside her soul.

_Today was her wedding day!_

Suddenly, something struck her as she peered at the back of her dress in the mirror. It seemed a bit... plain, not quite fitting for what she hoped to be the most perfect day of her life. The girl thought for a moment, then came up with a suitable idea; how about a silk ribbon, to smarten up the dress a little bit?

For any other girl, such an addition would have been a hassle on an already stressful day. But, then again, this was no ordinary girl.

Seemingly out of nowhere, the white dress began to shimmer with a luminous light. Suddenly, the light dissipated, and on the back of the wedding dress was now placed an oversized, satin bow, the ends trailing near the ground.

And in front of the mirror, Latias turned about happily, striking a few cute poses, admiring her handiwork.

_Oh, how Satoshi would adore her!_

_Click!_ Latias turned to the door just in time to see Kanon, her maid of honor, walk in, a box in her arms. The brown-haired girl stared at her Pokémon friend as a wide smile crept across her face.

"Oh, Latias! You look absolutely wonderful!" Kanon exclaimed, setting the box on a nearby table and taking her friend's hands in hers. Latias beamed. She'd taken days to design her dress in her head, using ideas from all of the Altomare brides she'd silently observed over the past few months. Finally, she'd gotten the perfect design down; a white dress, with short, puffed out sleeves, a long train, and now the bow in the back. In addition, a misty white veil covered her face, giving her, in her opinion, a slightly mysterious air. The ensemble wasn't _too_ extravagant for the occasion, but just dressy enough to tickle her girlish fancy. And now...

Latias turned back to the mirror, leaning in closely and staring at her hair. Kanon watched for a few seconds, then sighed with a smile still on her face. "Don't be so worried, Latias," she said reassuringly. "You know Satoshi loves you no matter what you look like."

"Kuu..." Latias murmured softly, her distinctly Pokémon-esque voice escaping her apparently human lips. Satoshi had long ago told her that it didn't matter what kind of voice she had, so long as she would speak to him... What a sweetie! Latias smiled happily at the thought of him as her bright red hair styled itself into a long, loose ponytail, reaching halfway down her back and tied with a matching white ribbon.

Kanon shook her head. "I'm so jealous of you, Latias... You just have to _think_ about it to do your hair... Look at this!" the girl exclaimed, her hands flying to her own hair. "I've been so stressed out lately, I've hardly had time to brush it! Ohh..."

But Latias giggled. For Kanon, despite her modest statements, was looking quite nice as well, dressed in a long, pale green dress, made of material light enough to stay comfortable in Altomare's warm weather.

"Well, I suppose that'll do," Kanon said, peering into Latias's mirror and smoothing down her bangs with her hand. Turning back to the box, Kanon opened it and smiled. "Guess what?" she said cheerfully. "The flowers finally arrived! And not a moment too soon..." she muttered under her breath.

Latias clapped her hands and virtually ran to the box. "This is for you..." Kanon said, pulling out a bouquet of pink flowers, Latias's favorite color. "And, Grandpa got something rather special..." Latias gasped as Kanon pulled out a circlet made of interwoven flowers. Her veil disappearing from her face to make way for the additional ornament, the Pokémon smiled as Kanon lightly set the flowers over her hair.

"They say that... the very first Latias to come to Altomare wore a circlet like that," Kanon said, recalling the legend with a smile. "And here it goes again... Do you like it?" Latias nodded vehemently, so that the flowers nearly fell off her head. Carefully, Latias reached up and adjusted it, smiling apologetically at Kanon.

"That's all right," Kanon said, waving it off. "Well, I'd better get everyone else their flowers... hm?" For someone was tapping at the door... Kanon walked over and opened it. "He... llo...?" she called out, a bit confused as she stared into the apparently empty hallway. Suddenly, she felt a tug on her skirt...

"Ka, pika!" Kanon looked down... and saw Pikachu, dressed in a tiny tuxedo and tugging on the hem of her dress. It sniffed the air, then pointed up at the box of flowers that the girl was holding.

"Oh... Did someone send you to get these?"

"Pika!" Pikachu nodded. Kanon shrugged, then handed the box to Pikachu. The mouse struggled under its weight for a few seconds, then trotted off down the hall, toward Satoshi's room. Without a word, Kanon walked back to Latias before finally letting out a rather disappointed sigh.

"Only Satoshi..." Kanon muttered.

Latias looked at her best friend with a puzzled look on her face. Kanon noticed the expression, and waved it off.

"Oh, no... it's nothing, nothing at all... Come on, we'd better get going!"

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Outside, the weather was fine, the sun was shining, and the secret garden of Latias and Latios was uncharacteristically buzzing with hushed murmuring. Satoshi and Latias had long ago decided that the garden was the only place suitable for their wedding ceremony; quiet, secluded, away from the public's eye. And besides, where else would allow so many Pokémon to be at such an event?

At this moment, the guests were being seated in folding chairs arranged around the Soul Dew's fountain, where the vows would be exchanged. It had been pointless to divide up the guests onto the bride's and groom's sides, seeing as how there had been so few people invited, so everyone was grouped together around the fountain instead.

From where they sat, the guests were carrying on hushed conversations with each other, all eagerly awaiting the appearance of the wedding procession. However, one person remained who was quite silent, a rare occurrence for someone of his personality. For standing in front of the fountain, and looking quite pale at the moment, was Satoshi.

After escorting Haruka and Masato to their seats, Takeshi looked up and smiled at the nervous groom. "Hey, calm down," the groomsman said, smiling. "Everything'll be just fine. Wait and see."

"Y-yeah..." Satoshi smiled back weakly. "Just like we rehearsed..." From next to him, Bongore nodded, understanding from personal experience how the young man was feeling.

But from the other side of the pavement, Shigeru, also chosen to be a groomsman, grinned cheekily. "Just don't do anything that'll mess the _entire ceremony_ up, Satoshi!" Satoshi's face grew visibly paler.

"Shigeru..." came a reprimanding voice. Shigeru froze.

"G-Grandpa...?"

Ookido Hakase strolled toward the fountain, dressed in a formal kimono and hakama. "Now, Shigeru, be kind to Satoshi. After all, do you want him to be teasing you like that on _your_ wedding day?" the old man chuckled.

Shigeru stared. "Grandpa, why are you wearing--"

"_Waaaahh!"_ Every head in the vicinity turned to see Hanako, her face buried in a large handkerchief, bawling loudly.

"Uhh... Mom?" Satoshi called out shakily. "Is something the matter?"

Hanako sniffled a few times, then burst out, "My little baby's getting _married!"_

"Mom... I'm eighteen years old..."

"Waaahh!" Hanako sobbed hysterically, leaning on the shoulder nearest to her, which happened to belong to Hiroshi. Hiroshi glanced around wildly at the other guests, who made absolutely no motion to help him.

Suddenly, Kanon peered out from behind the arched doorways and signaled to Takeshi. Nodding, Takeshi turned to Shigeru and Pikachu, and the three of them headed back toward the building. Hiroshi helped Hanako to her seat, and a hush fell over the crowd...

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The guests sat silently as they awaited the arrival of the wedding procession. Satoshi fidgeted nervously as he stood next to Bongore, who was to perform the ceremony. The old man nudged the groom and whispered, "Relax. Don't be so worried!"

"I... can't help it..." Satoshi muttered back, trembling terribly. But the procession had started, so he fell quiet.

First came the bridesmaids, escorted by the groomsmen. Kasumi and Takeshi walked up to the altar first, arms linked. Just as they separated to stand on each side of the fountain, both winked at Satoshi kindly. Recalling fond memories of his youth with them, Satoshi felt his mind settle and the tension go away.

"Thanks, guys," he whispered.

"No problem," Kasumi replied.

"Just do well, all right?" Takeshi grinned.

The next groomsman to come was Shigeru, escorting a lively young Latias. Satoshi had met her earlier, and learned that she was the Latias he had seen flying toward Altomare just as he'd left it for the first time. She'd been given the nickname 'Chiara,' a bright name for such a vibrant Pokémon. As she and her escort parted ways, Shigeru raised an eyebrow at Satoshi. "Jeez... look at you, all grown up and getting married... You're making me feel old, Satoshi," the groomsman dryly remarked.

"Kuu!" Chiara said loudly, which Satoshi took to mean something along the lines of "You'd _better_ treat her right, or else..."

"Save it for the reception, kids," Bongore whispered.

Finally, Kanon walked down the aisle, with Pikachu astride her shoulder. As they reached the fountain, Pikachu hopped down and bounced to Satoshi's side. Kanon glanced at Satoshi with a wry look in her eye, as he grinned apologetically.

"Only you, Satoshi... would choose to have a best Pokémon instead of a best man."

"Who else was I supposed to choose?" Satoshi whispered to her. "Pikachu's my best friend, after all."

"Yes, well," Kanon sighed. "I suppose that's just how you are... But, promise me you'll take good care of Latias?" she asked with a smile.

Satoshi nodded. "I promise."

Next came Bayleef, accompanied by a small Latios, not quite fully grown. His shy ways and gentle demeanor had earned him the nickname 'Fiorello' by Kanon and Bongore. Holding a small pillow in his claws, he carried the rings for the wedding. The people seated by the aisle moved aside to make way for the two good-sized Pokémon, and also to avoid being accidentally scattered with petals by Bayleef.

"Bay!" the plant Pokémon cheered, the scent of the fragrant petals putting Bayleef into an extraordinarily good mood. At first, Bayleef had been quite adverse to the idea of Satoshi marrying Latias, but Latias's amiable offer of the 'flower Pokémon' position had been enough to warm the relations between the two. Upon reaching the fountain, the two Pokémon separated and stood on either side as well.

And finally, to the cheers of the guests, came Latias, escorted by an older, larger Latios, the one who had led Chiara and Fiorello to Altomare. Named 'Dante' by Kanon and Bongore, he laid a gentle dragon's paw on Latias's shoulder as she walked down the aisle. A wave of smiles and nods descended upon the happy bride as her keen eyes scanned the crowd. Latias felt her face flush with pure joy at the excitement spreading throughout the garden. Such a perfect day!

But suddenly, as she looked straight forward, her eyes met Satoshi's... and strangely enough, she sensed a glimmer of...

_... disappointment...?_

Her face must have reflected her confusion, as Satoshi quickly broke out into a happy grin, as if to say that everything was all right. Trusting him with all of her heart, Latias nodded and dropped the moment from her mind as she climbed the final steps to the fountain.

There, Bongore stood, dressed in formal Altomare attire, ready to perform the ceremony. Satoshi and Latias came forward, hand in hand, and stood before him. The old man cleared his throat as the crowd fell into a hush. At that moment, Satoshi felt the tension come back and he trembled slightly, but Latias squeezed his hand reassuringly. Satoshi smiled at her briefly and gently tightened his own grip in response.

"Satoshi..." Bongore began, his warm voice ringing through the grove of trees. "Do you take Latias to be your lawful wedded wife?"

Satoshi nodded. "I do."

"Do you promise to love and cherish her, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, for better or for worse, and forsaking all others, and keep yourself only unto her, for so long as you both shall live?"

"I do."

With that, Bongore nodded to Fiorello, who solemnly handed one ring to Satoshi, and one to Latias. Satoshi stepped back and recited...

"Latias... I promise to be your best friend, to respect you, to support you, to work together with you to achieve our shared goals..." Satoshi grinned. "Speaking of which, we need to discuss what we're going to do about battling after this!" After the laughter had died down, the young man continued. "But most of all, I promise to love you... And just as this ring I give you is a circle without end, my love for you is endless. Just as this ring will never fade, my faith in you will never fail. With this ring, I thee wed." As the audience clapped enthusiastically, Satoshi slipped the ring onto Latias's finger.

"And now, Latias... Do you take Satoshi to be your lawful wedded husband, to promise to love and cherish him, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, for better or for worse, and forsaking all others, for so long as you both shall live?"

In return to the eloquent words, Latias responded with a lively, _"Kuu!"_ Turning to Satoshi, she beamed up at him as she slipped the ring onto his hand.

_But suddenly, she caught a strange look in his eyes..._

_... as if something wasn't quite right..._

However, her thoughts were interrupted as Latias sensed something else, something far more important than the matter at hand. Something... important. Something... special.

Very special.

Suddenly, Latias's eyes widened, and she looked up, far into the sky. Satoshi turned his eyes toward the clouds as well, but was unable to see anything particularly special. "What is it, Latias?" he asked, thoroughly confused. But Latias merely smiled at him, squeezed his hand, and stood patiently...

Meanwhile, in the audience, Kanon was startled as Pikachu's ears suddenly perked up, as the little yellow Pokémon stared up into the sky. Nearby, Chiara, Dante, and Fiorello all turned their heads, as did Satoshi's other Pokémon.

"Ookido Hakase... What's going on?" Kenji whispered to his mentor.

Ookido Hakase folded his arms knowingly. Decades of study had taught him the subtle messages sent by Pokémon and their actions. "Something is coming. The Pokémon are awaiting something... and they greet it both in caution and anticipation..." Nearby, Shigeru nodded in agreement, while Kanon glanced at them with a worried look.

"But what in the world...?"

Kanon's sentence was cut off as a bright beam of light pierced the wispy clouds. The humans present jumped to their feet in shock, and the Pokémon threw their heads back in joyful cries. Latias threw her arms around Satoshi in happiness as the young man stared at what was a very familiar sight...

"_Houou...!"_

The giant phoenix's golden wings sparked amongst the clouds, a rainbow trail flying off its glittering feathers. The air seemed to shimmer with the presence of the legendary Pokémon as it soared ever closer to the stunned observers.

Just then, something sparked in Kasumi and Takeshi's minds. They stared at each other, then at Satoshi and Latias. Astonished, Takeshi whispered, "When the hearts of Pokémon and humans become one..."

"... then Houou will return to the world!" Kasumi finished.

All of a sudden, Houou let out a long, wild cry, a sound that faintly reminded Satoshi of bells ringing. Perhaps, far away in Enju City, the crystal bells that foretold Houou's appearance were ringing, as well...

"Houou," Satoshi murmured, smiling. Latias beamed and pressed her arms tighter around Satoshi.

As Houou's call rang through the air, resonating through the clouds, it seemed as though thousands of cries were echoing back. Echoing, echoing, echoing... But the returning sound was different, just slightly different...!

"_Lugia?"_ Satoshi burst out, having never forgotten that mysterious roar in all the years it had been since that eventful day. "Lugia is coming, too!" And in only a matter of seconds, a great silver shape flashed across the sky, joining its fellow titan in a graceful dance through the sky.

"The gods of the sun and moon..." Bongore murmured, quite astounded. "They've chosen to bless you... This is a sacred moment, indeed!"

As Houou and Lugia flew in graceful circles, their combined light grew stronger and amazingly beautiful; the true Phoenix and Dragon, unified and inseparable. Satoshi hugged Latias tighter to his side.

The peaceful moment was suddenly interrupted by Dante's excited cries. "Kuuu! Kuuu!" he bellowed at the top of his lungs. Soon, Chiara, Fiorello, and even Latias were joining in the chorus. Satoshi stared at his bride, bewildered, although at this point little could surprise him. But Bongore understood, having studied the story of Latias and Latios as thoroughly as he had...

"We have visitors."

And in a matter of seconds, it seemed that the light had become dozens, if not hundreds, if not _thousands_ of Latias and Latios, all joining Houou and Lugia in a complicated pattern woven through the clouds. "There's... so many," Satoshi whispered in disbelief. Latias gave him a curious look, as if to ask why there _wouldn't_ be.

Then, Kanon noticed Dante shoot a knowing look at Chiara and Fiorello. She looked at her grandfather, who returned her gaze. Something was about to happen.

With the golden phoenix and silver dragon flying around them, the multitudes of Latias and Latios arranged themselves in one enormous, layered circle, first one row of Latias, then one of Latios. Suddenly, all of the Eon Pokémon halted their movement, hovering in place. Then, slowly and carefully, one Latios and one Latias winged their way into the middle of the circle. Bowing their heads courteously to each other, each leisurely began to sway back and forth in the air, their eyes never leaving each other's. Around them, the other Latias and Latios began to pick up speed in their circles, forming a mesmerizing image, while Houou and Lugia continued their paths.

The Latias and Latios in the middle continued their careful, measured flight, each mirroring the other's moves perfectly as they whirled about in the sky. And suddenly, it occurred to Satoshi what their dance was about.

"This must be how your family celebrates weddings, huh?" he asked Latias in a hushed voice. Latias smiled and nodded.

The Latias and Latios's dance was growing more and more fluid and elegant by the second, when three small shapes broke away from the spinning circles to join the two in the middle. The center Latias leaned her head down to nuzzle the youngsters, while the Latios flew above their heads, watching for some unseen enemy. Satoshi felt his face burn as he realized what the small Latias and Latios were representing. Latias laughed silently, and clung to his arm as she watched excitedly. From the audience, Dante laughed in the way only a Latios can as Hanako, unable to help herself, let out a giggle as well. "What can I say? It's been too long since I've had a baby to take care of," she said out loud.

By the fountain, Satoshi reddened that much more. "Mom..."

The enthralling dance continued for what seemed to be blissful ages, with more and more Latias and Latios joining the two in the center, while Houou and Lugia continued their peaceful trek. As he watched, Satoshi felt as if he could almost hear their message...

'_Endless cycles of the sun and moon... and all the while, you with your beloved, both of you surrounded by a family that you love, that loves you. That is how life should be...'_

That voice... Satoshi knew that voice, as well...! Whirling in its direction, Satoshi came face to face with someone whom he hadn't seen in far too long.

The young man smiled. "I'm glad you could come. Welcome, Mewtwo."

Mewtwo nodded in response. _'It is a great honor to be present at such an event.'_

Satoshi laughed and absentmindedly folded his hands behind his head. "Ha, ha... Well, it's nothing too fancy, but..."

However, Mewtwo held up his hand for silence. _'This is more than a mere wedding... it is far more than you have imagined it to be. This day marks the beginning of a new era in our world.'_ The psychic Pokémon looked toward the sky. _'The sun god, Houou, only ever appears at such a time. You are truly blessed.'_

Satoshi nodded. "Thank you. Please tell them, 'thank you'." Latias nodded as well.

'_They understand,'_ Mewtwo answered with a kind smile. _'However... that is not the message that I came here to deliver.'_

All at once, the thousands of Latias and Latios stopped moving in the air, all of their heads turned toward the ground. Even Houou and Lugia halted, their great wings keeping them aloft, while they stared down at the tiny wedding party, their eyes wild and powerful, but full of wisdom and knowledge all at once...

And without any notice, without any warning, the air right in front of the Soul Dew's fountain flickered and shimmered, and just in front of Satoshi and Latias, appeared...

"Mew...!" Haruka and Masato shouted from their seats. Ookido Hakase stared at them in shock, not fully comprehending.

"_Mew...?"_

"Myuuu!" Mew sang out, as if the calling of its name was some sort of sport. It did a few flips in the air, its long tail trailing behind it like a fluttering streamer, before it finally came to rest in front of Satoshi. "Myuu," it said, nodding to both Satoshi and Latias, before launching into a long string of words that meant nothing to its audience. In Satoshi's head, he heard Mewtwo's translation.

'_I am Mew. Sometimes, people say that I am the origin of all Pokémon. But the story is much, much longer than that. Deep down, wouldn't you say that Pokémon and humans are not so different, after all?'_ Satoshi squeezed Latias's hand, and nodded.

'_That's great! Because, you are very much the same.'_ Mew smiled, its round, pink face giving it a perfectly endearing look. Latias giggled. _'Because, all life comes from the same place. All life comes from Mew. Everything started, with Mew!_

'_And today, it all comes back together again.'_ Without another word, Mew took Satoshi's hand in one fuzzy paw and Latias's in the other. Joining their hands together, Mew continued, _'It all comes back together, when a human son and Pokémon daughter come together. A new era starts today! A new era starts with you! An era where Pokémon and human come together closer than ever! A new beginning!'_ At this point, Mew left off in a flurry of laughter, ecstatic over this new beginning.

Satoshi smiled and bowed low before the tiny Pokémon. "Thank you, Mew. Thank you for coming..."

'_And now,'_ said Mew, _'don't you humans do something to finish your ceremony? Something special?'_ The psychic Pokémon did a few more back flips. _'I have always wanted to see this!'_

Bongore cleared his throat and stepped into the scene. "Excuse me, but this is where I come in," he said warmly. "I review... Satoshi. Do you promise to, in short, take Latias as your wife?"

Satoshi nodded. "I do."

Bongore turned to Latias. "And do you, Latias, promise to--" However, he was cut off by Latias's vigorous nodding, as the audience laughed lightheartedly.

"Very well, then!" Bongore said, unable to stifle a chuckle himself. "You may kiss the bride!"

Suddenly, Latias realized something and gasped. Her veil! She was supposed to have worn a veil, for Satoshi to lift up in order to kiss her, just like how it had gone for all of the other brides she'd watched! Hastily, the missing veil was replaced upon her face, and Latias smiled at Satoshi apologetically.

However, something was still wrong. For some reason, Satoshi's eyes were sad. Latias stared at him, taken aback. Did she do something else wrong...?

But Satoshi merely cupped his hands around her face. He looked at her straight in the eyes, and whispered...

"... Please, Latias. I love you just the way you are.

"_You don't need a veil to make me happy."_

And Latias understood that Satoshi was not merely talking about the veil on her face. Unable to stop them, she felt tears begin to fall... tears of pure happiness. All this time, she'd been trying to make herself as beautiful as she could, not wanting anything less for Satoshi.

_And all he wanted... was her._

Satoshi smiled as the beautiful girl before him began to shine with an indescribable light. Soon, the red hair and pale skin were replaced with glowing red-and-white feathers, and the amber-brown eyes exchanged with golden ones... And slowly, they leaned together...

_The young people in the crowd cheered rowdily as the older folks smiled and nodded. All around them, the Pokémon watched peacefully and in wonder, for even the ancients had never witnessed such a scene._

_And though none could have known it, the whole world was acknowledging the moment._

_From far beneath the sea and land, Kyogre and Groudon knew._

_From the outermost reaches of the sky it patrolled, Rayquaza knew._

_From the beginning of history to the end of time, Celebi knew._

_From deep within the heart of the Orange Islands, Freezer, Thunder, and Fire knew._

_From the endless fields and mountains of Jouto, Entei, Raikou, and Suicune knew._

_From somewhere deep in the forests of Houen, sleeping peacefully, Jirachi knew._

_From where they guarded the Tree of Origin, from which all life had sprung, Regice, Regirock, and Registeel knew._

_And from where they flew in the Altomare sky or where they stood in the secret garden, Houou, Lugia, Mew, and the thousands of Latios and Latias knew._

_All the world round, there was the immense understanding that a remarkable moment, the beginning of a new era, had occurred in the history of their world._

_But through it all, Satoshi was only aware of the beautiful dragon girl in his arms._

_Latias could not have been happier._

_And quietly, ever so quietly, a trembling, but clear whisper escaped her lips..._

_Satoshi's eyes widened in amazement as he heard._

_How much practice it must have taken. How much work. How much dedication._

_Just to say..._

"_Satoshi... I love you..."_

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"And now, a toast!" Takeshi shouted, holding his glass of champagne in the air. "To... true love...!" he yelled, a bit haltingly. Kasumi sighed.

"You'll find someone, someday, Takeshi..."

"_Banzai!" _Ookido Hakase shouted, much to Shigeru's embarrassment.

"Grandpa, don't say things like that..."

"Why not? It means, 'ten thousand years,' and Latias _is_ an _Eon_ Pokémon, after all," Ookido Hakase pointed out. Then, elegantly segueing into a poem, he sang out, "An innocent love! Two youths join in harmony! Dearest Latias!" as the crowd cheered.

"I think you've had a little too much, Grandpa..." Shigeru sighed, burying his head in his arms.

"That was terrific!" Bongore clapped, applauding Ookido Hakase's poetry. "Was that one of your own?"

"Actually, it was..." said the professor, and the two old men quickly fell into a deep discussion. Shigeru rolled his eyes and turned away, only to find himself face to face with Kanon.

"Is Grandpa going on about something again?" she sighed.

"I know exactly how you feel..." Shigeru muttered. And the two young people found themselves falling into conversation, as well... Nearby, Pikachu and Chiara glanced at each other, then at their fellow members of the wedding party, smiling.

"It's time for the first dance of the evening!" Haruka announced over a microphone. "Where are the bride and groom?" At that moment, everyone looked around, but Satoshi and Latias were nowhere to be found...

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Amid the hustle and bustle and excitement, Satoshi and Latias had quietly slipped away from the party and settled themselves down on one of Altomare's many wooden docks, dangling their legs over the edge, only a few feet above the lapping waves. Latias had transformed back into her human form, not _quite_ ready to brave the streets as a dragon. Satoshi understood, though it disappointed him.

"One day," he whispered to his bride, "we'll show the world that it's all right. Won't we, Latias?" Latias nodded.

Quietly, the two of them sat under the starry sky, their hearts filled with the wonder of a new life. Where to go? What to do? Stay in Altomare? Or travel the world together?

"It's so hard to believe... that the future is just out there, waiting," Satoshi murmured. Latias leaned her head against Satoshi's shoulder in agreement. The two sat silently for a few minutes, until...

Suddenly, Latias jumped to her feet and stared, wide-eyed, across the ocean. Satoshi looked at her, puzzled, and also stood up. "What is it, Latias?" he asked, knowing that her Pokémon eyes could see much farther than his own.

Latias pointed, her mouth open in wonder. Satoshi peered out over the long stretches of water, until he spotted a flash of crystalline blue...

All at once, Satoshi and Latias whispered...

"_... Latios...!"_

The figure spun gracefully over the water, skimming the waves and flying straight back toward the young couple. Latias clung to Satoshi in excitement, while the young man looked into the eyes of the crystalline Latios.

_Understanding, he smiled._

The crystal image gave one, deep nod, then flew off, above Satoshi's and Latias's heads. The two turned and watched him disappear into the depths of Altomare.

"He's going back to the garden, I guess," Satoshi murmured. "I suppose that was... his way of blessing us, don't you think?" Latias beamed.

'_Thank you, big brother...'_

Just then, Masato came running out from the building where the reception was being held. "Everyone's looking for you!" he called out, breathless. "We can't really start the dance without the bride and groom there..."

"Ehe... sorry about that," Satoshi grinned apologetically. "We'll be just a moment, okay?"

"Fine," Masato nodded, heading back to the party. After the boy had left, Satoshi and Latias turned for one last look at the beautiful night sky...

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"All right! It is _now_, finally, time for the first dance!" Haruka announced over the microphone for a second time. "Will the bride and groom step onto the dance floor?"

Amid loud cheers, Satoshi and Latias, now in her Pokémon form, walked hand-in-hand onto the polished wood floor. Smiling, the two of them began to sway in time to their chosen song...

The starry sky shone down upon the two as they became lost in a world that belonged to them, a world that saw past their outside appearances and into their hearts, into their souls...

And although trouble was sure to lie ahead, as it always will, Satoshi and Latias understood...

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"_There's so much that lies ahead of us..._

"_But if we're together, everything will be all right._

"_Because I love you..."_


End file.
